German Black Currant Quark Cheesecake

Name: German Black Currant Quark Cheesecake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 1.5 cups graham crackers, finely crushed; 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted; 2 tbsp granulated sugar; 2 lbs full-fat quark (or substitute: equal parts cream cheese and Greek yogurt); 8 oz full-fat cream cheese, room temperature; 2/3 cup granulated sugar; 3 large eggs, room temperature; 1 tsp pure vanilla extract; 1 tsp lemon zest, finely grated; 3 tbsp cornstarch; 2 cups black currants (fresh or frozen; or blackberries as substitute); 1/4 cup granulated sugar; 2 tsp fresh lemon juice

A light, tangy cheesecake made with quark - Germany's fresh curd cheese - layered over a buttery graham cracker base and topped with a glossy black currant compote. Lighter and less dense than New York-style cheesecake, with a clean dairy flavor that lets the tart fruit shine. Plan ahead: chill for at least 4 hours before slicing.

85 minMediumServes 10310 cal/serving

GermanDessertOvenVegetarianLow-SodiumPork-FreeNightshade-Free

Cook this free in the appFree. No download, no account. The screen stays awake and each step can run its own timer.

Ingredients

1.5 cups graham crackers, finely crushed
6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 tbsp granulated sugar
2 lbs full-fat quark (or substitute: equal parts cream cheese and Greek yogurt)
8 oz full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon zest, finely grated
3 tbsp cornstarch
2 cups black currants (fresh or frozen; or blackberries as substitute)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the sides.
2

Make the crust: combine 1.5 cups finely crushed graham crackers, 6 tbsp melted unsalted butter, and 2 tbsp granulated sugar in a bowl and mix until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Press firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove and let cool slightly.
3

Make the filling: beat 8 oz room temperature full-fat cream cheese and 2 lbs full-fat quark (or substitute: equal parts cream cheese and Greek yogurt) together until very smooth. Add 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest, and 1 tsp pure vanilla extract and beat to combine.
4

Whisk 3 tbsp cornstarch into the filling, then add 3 room temperature large eggs one at a time, beating on low speed just until incorporated after each addition. Do not overmix.
5

Pour the filling over the crust and smooth the top. Place the springform pan inside a larger roasting pan and pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan (water bath).
6

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes until the edges are set but the center still has a slight wobble. Turn off the oven, crack the door open, and let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove and let cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
7

Make the black currant compote: combine 2 cups black currants (fresh or frozen; or blackberries as substitute), 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 2 tsp fresh lemon juice in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes until the berries break down and the mixture thickens slightly. Cool completely.
8

Spoon the chilled compote over the top of the cheesecake just before serving. Slice with a warm knife for clean cuts.

Cook this free in the appCooking it now? The app keeps the screen awake and times each step. Free, nothing to install.

Keep this recipe

Prints the ingredients and method only.

The German Kitchen 30 recipes from this kitchen in one printable PDF. $5, no account.

Questions

What oven temperature does German Black Currant Quark Cheesecake need?

For German Black Currant Quark Cheesecake, the oven is set to 325 F (about 165 C) in step 1. The longest stretch at that heat is 55 minutes, in step 6.

Why does German Black Currant Quark Cheesecake bake in a water bath?

Step 5 reads: "Place the springform pan inside a larger roasting pan and pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan (water bath)." The water holds the outside of the dish at a gentle, even temperature, so the custard sets without curdling or cracking. Step 5 sets it up; use hot tap water, not boiling.

Is there a substitute for Greek yogurt in German Black Currant Quark Cheesecake?

The entry for German Black Currant Quark Cheesecake calls for 2 lbs full-fat quark (or substitute: equal parts cream cheese and Greek yogurt). In its place: Sour cream, measure for measure, or regular yogurt strained for an hour.

Does German Black Currant Quark Cheesecake contain eggs?

Yes: 3 large eggs, room temperature. The full allergen list for this entry is gluten, dairy and eggs. Packaged ingredients vary by brand, so check labels if the allergy is serious.

Which part of German Black Currant Quark Cheesecake can be done ahead?

Everything up to step 6. Step 6 is a built-in pause of 55 minutes: "Bake for 45 to 55 minutes until the edges are set but the center still has a slight wobble." Do everything up to that point ahead of time and pick up at step 7 when you are ready to finish.

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,544 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.